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Senator Warren introduced sweeping legislation that aims to expand housing opportunities, break down barriers to segregation and address the nation’s housing shortage. The bill would make robust investments to the National Housing Trust Fund and other new funds to increase housing production.

In July, the Legislature passed an Economic Development Bill that included language to provide an exemption from the Mortgage Loan Originators (MLO) licensing requirements. It exempts nonprofits who lend exclusively public money from having to get their employees licensed as MLO.

On September 10, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) released a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Modernization To Independence program. The program will make up to $3 million available through 2021 to federalize and rehabilitate state public housing developments.

On August 28, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) for the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). This is the first step in what is likely at least a yearlong process.

On September 5, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) issued proposed guidance on the new income averaging set-aside option for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. To download the proposed guidance, click here.
In March, the President signed federal spending legislation that included a change to the federal LIHTC that established a new minimum set-aside election for new LIHTC developments.

On August 31st HUD published the Fiscal Year 2019 Fair Market Rents (FMRs). FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, rent ceilings for the HOME Investment Partnership program, among others. Public housing agencies and other interested parties may comment on the FMRs and request a reevaluation within 30 days.

On September 4th the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded nearly $99 million to provide affordable housing to people with disabilities. The awards will result in new vouchers to provide permanent housing to an additional 12,000 low-income residents, including 550 in Massachusetts.

New research from Boston University shows that local political participation in housing and development policy is dominated by individuals who are older, male, longtime residents, voters in local elections and homeowners. Moreover, the research finds, these individuals overwhelmingly oppose new housing construction. The authors of the study conclude that these participatory inequalities may be contributing to rising housing costs.